Mahabharata · 7.65.22–23
॥
Devanāgarī
के चिद् एकेन बाणेन सुमुक्तेन पतत्रिणा ॥
द्वौ त्रयश् च विनिर्भिन्ना निपेतुर् धरणीतले ॥
मौर्वीं धनुर् ध्वजं चैव युगानीषास् तथैव च ॥
रथिनां कुट्टयाम् आस भल्लैः संनतपर्वभिः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ke cid ekena bāṇena sumuktena patatriṇā ||
dvau trayaś ca vinirbhinnā nipetur dharaṇītale ||
maurvīṃ dhanur dhvajaṃ caiva yugānīṣās tathaiva ca ||
rathināṃ kuṭṭayām āsa bhallaiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
के चित् एकेन बाणेनke cit ekena bāṇenasome — with a single arrow; some — with one arrow
सुमुक्तेन पतत्रिणाsumuktena patatriṇāwell loosed, feathered; aimed true, feathered
द्वौ त्रयः च विनिर्भिन्नाःdvau trayaḥ ca vinirbhinnāḥtwo and three pierced; two or three pierced
निपेतुः धरणीतलेnipetuḥ dharaṇītalefell to the ground; fell to the ground
मौर्वीम् धनुः ध्वजम् च एवmaurvīm dhanuḥ dhvajam ca evathe bowstring, the bow, and the banner; the bowstring, the bow, and the banner
युगानीषाः तथा एव चyugānīṣāḥ tathā eva caand also the yoke and the pole; and the yoke and the pole
रथिनाम् कुट्टयाम् आसrathinām kuṭṭayām āsahe shattered of the charioteers; he shattered of the charioteers
भल्लैः संनतपर्वभिःbhallaiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥwith bhalla arrows of smooth joints; with bhallas of even edges
Translation
Some, pierced two or three together by a single, well-loosed, feathered arrow, fell to the ground. The bowstring, the bow, and the banner, and also the yoke and the pole of the charioteers, he shattered with bhalla arrows of smooth joints.
Version
885b23e1ff8f · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Such is Arjuna's mastery that «ekena bāṇena dvau trayaḥ ca vinirbhinnāḥ», with a single arrow he pierces two or three. And he strikes not blindly but with precision — the bowstring, the bow, the banner, the yoke — depriving the enemy of the means of battle. It is telling how power and precision are joined here. The verse teaches that true skill is economical and decisive: it does not squander effort, but disarms many with a single exact stroke; and valor, illumined by training and grace, strikes not by the number of blows but by the unerring accuracy of each.